Body camera footage shows moment officers shoot, kill knife-wielding man at living facility

CHICAGO (WGN) – The Civilian Office of Police Accountability (COPA) has released body camera video showing the moment police officers shot and killed a man armed with a knife who tried to attack them.

The incident happened on the morning of May 5 at a living facility on the city’s South Side.

Chicago police officers were sent to the Grand Regency of Jackson Park Supportive Living Facility, located the 1400 block of East 75th Street, to investigate reports of a person with a knife inside the facility.

A worker at the facility was heard telling officers 47-year-old Alfonzo Wright was banging on other residents’ doors while acting erratic with a knife.

Newly released body camera footage shows officers going inside the facility and eventually standing outside Wright’s apartment, asking him to come out. When he refused, officers used a key to open the door to the locked apartment.

Officers tried to de-escalate the situation and then deployed their tasers on Wright. Despite this, Wright continued to ignore verbal commands and rushed toward an officer while swinging the knife, resulting in two officers firing their weapons, hitting Wright multiple times, according to investigators.

Authorities said Wright was pronounced dead at the scene. No officers were injured and the knife was recovered.

According to police, as the investigation developed, officers found 58-year-old Keith Harding – a man who lived several doors down from Wright – dead from stab wounds to his arm and neck. His death was ruled a homicide.

The officers who shot Wright were placed on routine administrative duties for a minimum of 30 days.